Cloth-stretching apparatus



T. l. HAAS AND P. BLUMER.

- CLOTH smncmue APPARATUS.

,APPLICATION FILED NOV- l0. I919- 1,381,632. PatentedJune 14,1921.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET Led a" a 56 HQ/ g 52 w 5/ /5 70 2450 2/ 2 25 6 mrenfars T. J. HAA'S AND P. BLUMER.

CLOTH STRETCHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.10, 1919.

Patented June 14, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE.

THEODORE J. HAAS, OF EAST NORTHPOBT, .AJBTID PAUL BLUMER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOBS OF ONE-FOURTH "E0 SAID THEODORE J. HAAS, ONE-FOURTH TO SAID PAUL BLUIIZER; AND ONE-FOURTH TO CARL HAAS AND ONE-FOURTH TO VJILLIAM HAAS, BOTH OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CLOTH-STRETCHING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 14, 1921.

To all whom 2'2. may concern:

lie it known that we, THEODORE J. Hans and PAUL BLUMER, both citizens of the Jnited States, said Haas residing in East Northpmrt, Long Island, county of Suffolk, and State of New York, and said BLUMER residing in Brooklyn borough, county of Kings, L-ity and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cloth-Stretching Apparatus, of 'u'hich the "following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for permanently stretching jersey cloth and the like. Thismaterial is woven in the form of a tube, which after being stretched is slit longitudinally and opened out to form a web.

lleretoiore the cloth, while stlll in its tubular form, has been drawn over an expander, whereby its width has been permanently increased and its weight per yard diminished. This operation, however, has not left the cloth even and smooth, nor of uniform texture, but has tended to produce irregularities in the appearance of the goods. Moreover, it has not reduced the weight of the goods per yard as much as desired.

The cloth tube has first been wet and then pulled up slowly over a spreader or expander of conical form; the tube having been dried as it was pulled up, so that when it reached its final expansion it was dry and hence retained a substantial portion or all or the stretch received in this operation. The leading end of the cloth tube was placed between stretching rolls which gripped it powerfully, and pulled up the cloth over the expumlcu'. The heat for drying came up through a central pipe, whose top end terminated within the lower end of the conical expander, which was in the nature of a basket or frame. The tube was originally slipped down over the heating pipe, and then the basket or former was connected to the top of the heating pipe; the top of the tube was forced up over the former, and then gripped by the rollers, which were placed above the former. Then the rollers were revolved, and pulled up the cloth over the spreader.

The main objects of the inventlon are to reduce still further the weight of the cloth per yard, to give the same an improved finish, and to make it smooth and regular and o'l uniform quality. To this end, the cloth is stretched longitudinally as well as laterally. In carrying out the invention, there is provided means to cooperate with the stretching rolls for giving the tube a permanent longitudinal stretch while it is passing over the laterally expanding basket or form. effect this result, there is placed at the lower portion oi the expanding basket a device which grips and therefore retards the cloth tube, and this retarding device cooperates with the stretching rollsto impart a stretch of the desired extent to that portion of said cloth tube which extends from said retarding device to said'rolls. The retarding device preferably comprises a cage which may he slipped up over the bottom end of the en pending basket. The retarding device may be otherwise formed, and may remain a fixed part of the basket or form, although it is preferred to use it as anappliance which can be detached, to permit the use of the apparatus for merely expanding the tube laterally, when it is not desired to increase its length. This retarding cage may be formed of ribs and hoops, and preferably has between its top and bottom an annular depression, into which the clothtube is forced or bound by means of a cable or belt, which is passed around the cloth tube and then tightened. By this means the tube is gripped and frictionally held against advancing, unless sufficient poll is exerted thereon by the stretching rolls to give the tube a permanent stretch longitudinally. There is friction between the inner surface of the tube and the bulging portions of the retarding cage,iand also friction bet 'een the outer surface of. the tube and the constricting belt.

The longitudinal stretch is imparted to the cloth tube' while it is still wet, and the longitudinal tension thereon is maintained until the tube is driedby the ascending column of hot air; the feed oi the tube being at the rate of about ayard a minute, thus permitting the same to become substantially dry, whereby its stretchboth laterally and longitudinally is made permanent.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of means for varying or regulating the final or permanent width of the cloth, and this consists in the provision of a pair of spreaders which are placed at the top of the laterally-extending basket or form, and are adjustable toward and from each other to stretch the tube above the baskets. As the tube is drawn up past thetop of the expanoing basket or form,it has a tendency to resume its original small diameter. In order, however, to give the tube an extra expansion, there is provided asupplemental regulatable expanding devlce in the form of the opposite spreader arms which divergeupper ends by means of screws, so as to give the tube maximum expansion at about the time that it reaches its dry condition.

Other features and advantages will here inafter appear. 3

1 in the accompanying drawings,

Figure is sectional elevation of a clothstietchlng apparatus provided with the present improvements, showing the longitudt.

nally retarding device in position upon the laterally expanding device.

Fig. 2 is a view upon a larger scale of the retardingdevice in one form.

Fig. 3 is a view of the draw band which coiiperates with the device at Fig. 2 for holding back thetube of fabric to permit the same to be stretched by the rolls.

Fig. 1 is a view upon a still larger scale of the preferred form of retarding device, showing how the same acts upon the advancing fabric.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail of one of the laterally-extending bars seen at Fig. 1, by the use of which final expansion of the cloth in lateral direction can be secured.

Fig. 6 is aside elevation of the upper portion of the apparatus.

It is usual to wet the jersey cloth tube 10 and drop it over a, wood-jacketed vertical hot air pipe 11., which, at its lower end, terminates in an elbow 12 provided with a damper and receiving hot air from a radiator or other source. It is usual to draw the upper end of the tube up over a lateral expander in the form of a conical basket 14, whose small end is lowermost, and also to draw the cloth up over an upper conical basket 15, usually of a longer taper than the basket 14;. Thetube is then usually passed p over a horizontal blade 16, which is arranged above the expanding basket and just beneath a pair of stretching rolls 17, 18, between which the end of the tube is caught and by which the tube is slowly drawn up;

The cloth is wet before it is expanded; and while it is being drawn up and hence stretched laterally it is slowly. dried by hot air coming up through the pipe 11, so that the stretch of the cloth is made permanent.

The end of the cloth is usually wrapped around a loose core 19, which rests idly upon the top of roll 18, and is driven thereby to wind up the stretched tube as it is delivered from the rolls 17, 18.

According to the present improvements, the cloth may be stretched longitudinally. The power for stretching the cloth is exerted by the feed-rolls 17 and 18; and in order to enable them to perform this new func tion, the cloth tube is held back at the lower portion of the laterally expanding baskets 14 15. For this purpose, at the lower portion of the basket 14: may be arranged a retarding form having the construction of a cage or barrel 20, Fig. 2, consisting preferably of a circular series of upstanding ribs 21 riveted to top and bottom hoops or rings 22, 23. Each rib 21 may be curvedv outwardly at its upper portion to'impart a bulge 2 1- all around the cage; and another bulge 25 is formed at the lower part of the cage by curving out the lower portions of the ribs. Between these bul 'es 2 1, 25, the cage or form has a depression 26, which is formed by bending upwardly the middle portions of the ribs; these inwardly bent portions being riveted to an intermediate ring or hook 27.

The lower end oi the baskets 14,15 is usually provided with a hook 28 to engage a catch 29 to retain thebasket in working position; the basket being usually swingable about a point at its upper end, to permit the tube of cloth to be dropped over the hot air pipe 11; and while the basket is so swung out, the cage 20 may be slipped up over the lower end thereof as far as it will go, and there sustained by springs 30, which may be caught upon a'ring 31 at the junction of the lower and upper portions of the askets 14:, 15.

in operation, the cloth tube is pulled up over the cage 24), being somewhat stretched out thereby, and also up over the expanding baskets 14:, 1.5, and over the blade 16, caught in between the stretching rolls ll, 18, atter the book 28 has been caught in the catch 29. Then a cable 32, Fig. 3, is wound around the cloth tube, Figs. 2' and l, to draw or 'constrict said tube into the depression 26 in the cage. The tube now stands stretched over the lower and upper bulges 25 and 24 in the cage, and at the same time is constricted by the cable 32 between said bulges; and as a result there is great frictionalopposition exerted. against the upward advance of the cloth. The stretching rolls 1?, 18, therefore, must exert more power than usual in order to advance the cloth against such frictional opposition. Hence, the rolls cooperate with the retarding device to impart a stretch to the cloth longitudinally ofthe tube. The extent of the longitudinal stretch depends upon the power exerted by the retarding device, Fi 2; and this power may be increased by tightening the cable, which, as seen at Flg. 3, comprises a tip 33 secured upon one end of the cable and having an eye 3%, through which extends a stem 35 projecting from a hook 36 through which passes freely the other end of the cable. When the hook 36 is slipped along and the cable drawn as taut as desired, a thumb nut 37 upon the threaded end of the part 35 will clamp the cable between the hook 86 and the part 34. The extent of longitudinal stretch of the cloth is dependent upon the tightness of the cable 32, so that by tightening the same sufficiently the cloth may be given a substantial elongation, while receiving the same increase in width as heretofore, so that the weight 01 the cloth per square yard is reduced to the desired extent, and the cloth is given an even and attractive appearance. The drying or": the wet cloth while it is under both longitudinal and lateral stretch has theresult of making the stretch permanent.

To impart a final lateral stretch to the cloth, there may be employed in some cases at the upper end of the laterally stretching basket, a pair of diverging arms 88, Figs. 1 and 5, pivoted at their lower ends at 39 to a bracket 40 riveted upon standards 41 which carry the ends of the blade 16; and thumbscrews 42 may be employed for thrusting out more or less the upper free ends of these stretching bars and maintaining them in their separated positions. The bars may be provided with guides 43, embracing the rods 41, and with stops 4A to limit their outward swing. I

At Fig. 4, which shows the preferred iorm of the cage, the ribs are preferably bent 1n.- wardly and upwardly at their lower ends at l5 and secured by rivets 46 to the lower ribs; while their upper ends are bent inwardly and downwardly at 47 and'secured at 4:8 to the upper ring, said rings having preferably a conical form to fit upon the lower basket. it will be seen that the rlbs, which may be made of half round rods, may have a construction which is somewhat yielding.

In place of operating the feed-rolls 17,

18 by means of a belt as heretofore, there is employed a drive chain d9 running over a sprocket wheel 50 on the roll 17, whlch is connected by gears 51 with the roll 18. A; clutch 52 prodded between wheel 50 and roll it 7, for starting and stopping the machine.

The provision 01"" the chain and sprocket and clutch mechanism makes it practicable to give to the feed-rolls the added driving power necessary for stretching the cloth longitudinally. The invention 1s adapted iorreducing the weight of any woven or knitted fabric, woolen, fiber silk, cotton silk, or any combination of the same.

It will thus be seen that there is placed upon the cloth-stretching and drying apparatus, in which the tube of cloth is pulled over the spreader, means for placing the cloth under the necessary longitudinal tension, thereby keeping it from sliding or creeping too rapidly up over the basket. In other words, the cloth is retarded, to enable the rolls at the top of the apparatus to stretch the cloth longitudinally. The retarding means may be regarded as a yielding anchorage for the cloth, the yield being sufiicient to permit the cloth to advance slowly during the longitudinal and lateral stretching op eration. The rate of advance of the cloth and hence the extent of longitudinal stretch thereof is regulatable by tightening the draw-band. The weight of the cloth per yard is reduced by stretching it in longitudinal direction. It will be understood that the invention is not limited to an apparatus in which the tube is stretched laterally.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In an apparatus for stretching jersey cloth, the combination with stretching-rolls to advance the tube by its leading end, of clotl1gr'ipping and retardingmeans arranged at a distance from said rolls to cooperate with the latter for permanently stretching longitudinally that portion of the tube between the retarder and the rolls.

2. In an apparatus for stretching jersey cloth, the combination with stretching-rolls to advance the tube by its leading end, of cloth-gripping and retarding means arranged at a distance from said rolls to cooperate with the latter for permanently elongating that portion of the tube between the retarder and the rolls, and means to dry the tube while in its elongated or stretched condition.

3. The combination with stretching-rolls to grip the leading end of a tube of jersey cloth, 01' a basket or form over which the tube is drawn by said rolls for laterally expanding the tube, and a cloth-gripping and retarding device to cooperate with said rolls to permanently stretch the tube longitudinally.

i. The combination with stretching-rolls to grip the leading end of a tube of jersey cloth, of a basket or form over which the tube is drawn by said rolls for laterally expand ing the tube, and a cloth-gripping and retarding device to cooperate with said rolls to permanently stretch the tube longitudinally; said laterally expanding to rm being arranged' between said retarding device and said rolls.

5. The combination with stretching-rolls to grip the leading end oi a tube of jersey cloth, of a basket or form over which the.

firmness to enable the rolls to permanently and su'l'istantially stretch the tube, while permitting the tube to advance slowly under the pull of the rolls.

6. The combination with stretching-rolls to grip the leading end of a tube of jersey cloth, or a basket or term over which the tube is drawn by said. rolls for laterally e2;- panding the tube, a retarding device to cooperate with said rolls to stretch the tube longitudinally, said retarding device in the form of a barrel or cage having a depression, and a draw-band for constricting the tube of cloth within said depression to grip and retard the same sulilciently to enable said rolls to permanently and substantially elongate the tube.

'ZfThe combination vith stretching-rolls to grip the leading end of a tube 0: jersey cloth, of a basket or form over which the tube is drawn by said rolls for later y enpanding the tube and a retarding dex me to cotiperate with i d 11 1s stretch the tube longitudinally, said l terally form being arranged between sdevice andsaid rolls, and said retarding device comprising two members bet ween which the tube is clamped or held with suilicient firmness to enable the rolls to substantially and permanently stretch the tube, while permitting the tube to advance slowly under the pull of the rolls, said form being an invert-ed cone, said retarding device being detachable and constructed to slip up over the bottom of said cone.

8. The combination with stretching-rolls to grip the leading end of a tube of jersey cloth, of a basket or form over which the tube is drawn by said rolls for later H pending the tube, a retarding device operate with said rolls to stretch the tube longitudinally, said laterally expanding form being arranged between said retarding device and said rolls, and said retarding device comprising two members between which the tube is clamped or held with sudicient firmness to enable the rolls to stretch the tube, while permitting the tube to advance slowly under the pull of the rolls, said form being an inverted cone, and said retarding device being detachable and constructed to slip up over the bottom of said cone, and springs to sustain said retarding device upon said cone;

9. The combination with stretchingrolls to grip the leading end of a tube of jersey cloth, of a basket or form over which the lowly under the pull of the rolls, the clampi ice l' eing in the form of a cable, and adj ile means for holding the cable at the ooint to which it may be ightened.

1 nation with stretching-rolls to 'n end of a tube of jersey cl," t or term over which the ti twn by said rolls fo tel-ally ere pending the tube, a retard g device to coiperate wi 0 said rolls to permanently b 7 stretch the tube lon itudinally; said retarding device in and a releasable drawg the tube of cloth witho grip and therefore retr 7 same, said depression being between the upper and lower ends of said retarding device. 7

11. The combination with stretching-rolls to grip the leading end or a tube of jersey cloth, of a baslret or form over which the tube is drawn by s id rolls or laterally expending the tube. a, retarding device to co operate with said rolls to stretch the tube longitudinally, said retarding device in the form of a barrel or cage having a depression, and a draw-band for constricting the tube or" cloth within said depression to retard the same, said retarding device having a bulge above said depression, and a lesser bulge below said depression.

194. In an apparatus for stretching a tube of jersey cloth, the combination with stretching-rolls and a former having an inverted conical. shape over which the tube is drawn, of divergent forming arms extending from said former toward said stretchingrolls, said arms adjustable to increase or diminish their separation, to finish the operation of stretching the cloth.

13. In an apparatus for stretching a tube or" jersey cloth, the combination with stretching-rolls and a former having an inverted conical shape over which the tube is drawn, of divergent forming arms extending from said former toward said stretching-rolls, said arms hinged at their lower ends, and screws engaging said arms to force them apart to increase the stretch of the cloth as required.

14. In an apparatus for stretching and drying a tube of jer ey cloth, the combina tion with stretching-rolls or a spreader over which the tube is drawn by said rolls, and gripping means in advance of said spreader to hold back the cloth from advancing rapidly over the spreader, and to place the cloth under longitudinal tension from the rolls, to give the cloth permanent and substantial elongation.

15. In a cloth-stretching apparatus, the combination with stretching-rolls, a clothgripping device forming a yielding anchorage to COEiPQlZLiJQ with the rolls to substantially stretch the cloth l ngitudinally and permanently.

16. In a cloth-stretching apparatus, the combination with stretching-rolls, of a clothgripping device forming a yielding anchorage to cooperate with the rolls to substantially stretch the cloth longitudinally and permanently, and a spreader between said anchorage and said rolls for stretching the cloth laterally.

17. In a cloth-strctching apparatus, the combination with stretching-rolls, of a clothgripping device forming a yielding anchorage to cooperate with the rolls to substantially stretch the cloth longitudinally and permanently, and a spreader between said anchorage and said rolls for stretching the cloth laterally, said anchorage yielding sutficiently to permit the cloth to advance slowly during the longitudinal and lateral stretching operation.

18. In a cloth-stretching apparatus, the combination with stretching-rolls, of a yield ing anchorage to cooperate with the rolls to stretch the cloth longitudinally, and a spreader between said anchorage and said rolls for stretching the cloth laterally, said anchorage yielding suiiiciently to permit the cloth to advance slowly during the longitutudinal and lateral stretching operation, and means being provided for regulating the yield of said anchorage, so as to vary the longitudinal tension upon the cloth.

19. In a cloth tube stretching and drying apparatus, the combination with clothstretching rolls, of means over which the tube of cloth is drawn for expanding the same laterally, said expanding means in the form of an inverted conical device, and adjustable means for determining the width to which the cloth is finally expanded laterally.

20. In an apparatus for stretching and drying a tube of jersey cloth, the combination with stretching-rolls, of a spreader over which the tube is drawn by said rolls, gripping means in advance of said spreader to hold back the cloth from advancing rapidly over the spreader, and to place the cloth under suflicient longitudinal tension from the rolls to substantially elongate the cloth longitudinally and permanently, a chainand-sprocket mechanism for driving said rolls, and a clutch between the chain-andsprocket mechanism and the rolls.

21. The combination with stretching-rolls to grip the leading end of a tube of jersey cloth, of a basket or form over which the tube is drawn by said rolls for laterally expanding the tube, a retarding device to cooperate with said rolls to stretch the tube longitudinally, said retarding evice in the form of a barrel or ca ha g a dcprea sion, and a draw bai l constricting the tube of cloth within s d ression to retard the same, said cage C0311 rising a circular series of ribs and hooks or rings to which they are fastened.

22. The combination with stretching-rolls to grip the leading end of a tube oi jersey cloth, of a basket or term over which the tube is drawn by said rolls for laterally e3:- panding the tube, a retarding device to cooperate with said rolls to stretch the tube longitudinally, said retarding device in the form of a barrel or cage having depression, and a draw-band or constricting the tube of cloth within said depression to retard the same, said cage comprising a circular series of ribs and hooks or rings to which they are fastened, each rib curving outwardly at its upper portion, and also curving outwardly at its bottom portion to a less extent, to form a depression between the bulges into which the tube or cloth may be confined by the draw-band.

23. The combination with stretching-rolls to grip the leading end of a tube or": jersey cloth, of abaslret or form over which the tube is drawn by said rolls tor laterally expanding the tube, a retarding device to cooperate with said rolls to stretch the tube longitudinally, said retarding device in the form of a barrel or cage having a depression, and a draw-band for constricting the tube of cloth within said depression to retard the same, said comprising a circular series of ribs and hooks or rings to which they are fastened, each rib curving outwardly at its upper portion, and also curving outwardly at its bottom portion to a less extent, to form a depression between the bulges into which the tube of cloth may be confined by the draw-band, said drawband in the form of a cable having at one end a tube provided with a stem and a hook through which said cable may slip, said hook having an eye through which said stem passes and a thumb nut threaded upon said stem to fasten said cable at the point to which it is adjusted.

24. In an apparatus for stretching a tube of jersey cloth, the combination with stretching-rolls and a former having an inverted conical shape over which the tube is drawn, of divergent forming arms extending from said former toward said stretching-rolls, said arms hinged at their lower ends, and screws engaging said arms to force them apart to increase the stretch of the cloth as required, means being provided llO V longitudinally, said retarding device in the form or a barrel or cave having a depres sion, and a draw-band for constricting the tube or" cloth within said depression to re tard the same, said cage comprising a circular series of ribs and hoolrs or rings to which they are fastened, said ribs bent in wardly and downwardly at their upper ends and there secured to the upper ring, and bent inwardly and upwardly at their lower ends and there secured to the lower ring.

26. The process of reducing the weight per yard of atube ofjersey cloth, comprising wetting the tube, permanently and substantially expanding it longitudinally by pulling it at an advance portion while gripping and retarding it at a following portion, and simultaneously stretching it trans versely between said portions.

27. In an cpparatus for stretching a jersey cloth tube, the combination with means to pull the tube at an advance portion, of means to grip the tube to retard it at a :tollowing portion suiliciently to produce a longitudinal substantial permanent stretch of the tube, and means between said portions for simultaneously stretching the tube permanently in a transverse direction.

28. In an apparatus for stretching a jersey cloth tube, the combination with means to pull the tube at an advance portion, of means to grip the tube to retard it at a following portion sufficiently to produce a longitudinal substantial permanent stretch of rolls to permanentl the tube, said ClOlJh-gllPPlIlg means comprising two elements between which the cloth is gripped, one of said elements constructed to be'opened to permit the introduction of the cloth tube and then to be closed to grip the cloth tightly against theother element.

29. The combination with stretching-rolls to grip the leading end of a tube of jersey cloth, of a retarding device to cooperate with said rolls to stretch the tube longitudinally; said retarding device comprising two members between which the tube is clamped or held with sutlicient firmness to enable the rolls to permanent-l and substantially stretch the tube, while permitting the tube to advance slowly under the pull of the rolls; the clamping device being in the form of a cable, and adjustable means beingprovided for holding the cable at the point to which it may be tightened.

30. The combination with stretching-rolls to grip the leading end oi a tube of jersey cloth, of a retarding device to cooperate *ith said rolls to stretch the tube longitudinally; said retarding device comprising two members between which the tube is clamped or held with suflicient firmness to enable the and substantially stretch the tube, while permitting the tube to advance slowly under the pull or the rolls; said retarding device comprising member for the inside of the tube, and a cooperative gripping member for the outside of the tube, said gripping member being constructed to open to permit introduction and adjustment of the tube.

THEODORE J. HAAS. PAUL BLUMER.

llitnesses EDITH B. LinBEY,

JENNIE P. 'lnoRNn. 

